Introducing Weka! Her name means ‘lonely’ in the local Kamba language. Weka had a solitary start to life, but now she will never be alone again. On the morning of the 8th September 2022, our fixed-wing pilot was conducting a routine patrol of the Voi River circuit. Scanning Tsavo East National Park as it unfolded below him, he spotted a small, lone elephant calf who looked to be in a very bad way. Based on her skin-and-bones emaciated appearance, she had been without her herd for some time. To be absolutely certain that she was indeed an orphan, the pilot proceeded to spend an hour circling over the area. What he saw was heartbreaking: The calf trailed a couple of herds that came to drink, but each time was chased away. Drought is all about survival, and elephants cannot afford to feed an extra milk-dependent baby. Now, Weka is thriving at the Nursery and really filling out — see the final slide! She’s very shy, but she has made two best friends who are with her day and night. (We’ll be introducing them soon!). To learn more about Weka and how to become one of her very first adopters, tap our link in bio/stories or visit: sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/orphans/weka —— Photos © Sheldrick Wildlife Trust #SheldrickTrust #SWT #WekaSWT #elephant #kenya #whyilovekenya #adopt #conservation #newrescue #bekindtoelephants